Protective equipment for banks, etc.



Nov. 20, 1934. c. .1. GREEN 1,981,791

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BANKS, ETC

Filed-March 11, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 1 FlG. 2. a fa; 1i l ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 20,- 1934. c, J, GREEN PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BANKS, ETC

2 Sheets-Sheet.; 2

Filed Mach 11, 1951 FIG. 4.

FIG. 3.

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, Charlie a I. EPE ETL ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATsNr Dreier;

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to protective equipment for use in banks,post offices and similar places of business to protect life andvaluables against hold ups.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a protective devicefor bank tellers and other custodians embodying a manually releasablebullet-proof shield normally retained in a concealed position andautomatically moved into a protecting position when released by theteller.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which may beeconomically constructed and readily installed in existing forms of bankcounters and the like.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby theprotective shield when in its ejected position serves to uncover abattery of fire arms capable of being simultaneously discharged thruconcealed openings. f

A further object resides in the novel arrangement whereby the shield maybe released by the knee of the operator while complying with the demandsof the robber.

A still further object resides in the provision of a protective deviceof this character which when installed in a bank or the like may havethe firearms associated therewith directed toward the entrance forpreventing escape of the robbers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification andin which drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of the device and showing theshield in its lowered position.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation showing the release means for the shieldremoved and parts broken away for disclosing details of construction.

Figure 4 is a view substantially similar to Figure 3 but showing theshield in its raised position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the shield in itsraised position and uncovering openings thru which the firearms may bedischarged.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 7 7 of Figure6.

In the drawings, and wherein similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A maydesignate a suitable counter forming a portion of a tellers cage or thelike and embodying the front wall v5 and top plate 6 and which may beformed of marble or any other suitable material. The

letter B designates as a whole the improved protective device adapted tobe associated with the counter A and operable by the -teller or otherperson standing at the rear of the counter to yfrustrate any attemptedhold up and the discharging of rearms if need be.

The device -B comprises a pair of preferably tubular uprights or posts 7extended thru openings formed in the top 6 just rearwardly of thecounter wall 5 and suitably spaced apart to provide a window oropeningthru which business may be transacted. The posts 7 are preferablylprovided with threaded lower ends which are threaded into `suitablefloor sockets or lplates 8 lrigidly secured to thel floor 9. The upperends of the posts 7 are connected by an angle-,shaped head pieceproviding a horizontal flange 10 to which the upper ends of the postsare attached and a depending or vertical flange 11 which exeach tubularupright 7 beneath the lower edge of the shield 14 is an expansion coilspring 16 which acts to throw the shield upwardly and close the openingbetween the upiights when the trip means C is operated. These springs 16are of such strength as to raise the shield with considerable force.Connected at one end to the lower edge of the shield 14 is a cable 17having its opposite end secured tothe floor 9 and this cable serves tolimit upward movement oi the shield and .prevents the upper edge of theshield from striking the iiange 10. This upward limited movement of theshield prevents strain upon the guide frame for the shield and willpermit of the same being constructed of a lighter material than wouldordinarily be required if the force of the shield is permitted to strikethe flange 10. The upper portion of the shield plate 14 may be providedwith a suitable slot 18 to receive a spring keeper v19 arranged at therear side or the flange y11 whereby the shield is retained in a raisedposition. A suitable retracting cable 20 may be attached to the lowerend of the shield and trained of r the counter.

over the pulley 21 secured to the floor 9 for lowering the shieldagainst the action of the springs 16. The slot l5 in the counter top 5may be closed by a suitable plastic filler such as putty or the4 like asshown at 22 in Figure 2 for closing the slot and concealing the shieldwhen in its lowered position. If so desired, the slots 12 in theuprights 'l may also be closed in some suitable manner for presenting'aheater-appearance and concealing traces of thegprotective device.

The trip means C for releasing the shield 14 embodies a pair ofstandards and 31 anchored to the door 9 just rearwardly of the counterwall- .retain the .shield in-its lowered concealed position vagainst theaction of the elevating springs 16.

The upper vportion of the standard 30 is rearward- .lyoisetas shown inFigure 2 and has pivotally .connected-thereto an-v L-shaped lever 34which extends rearwardly and upwardly toward therear The forwarddownturned end of the.lever 34 is connected by a pin and slot connection35 tothe rear end of the latch pin 32 whereby upon upward swinging ofthe lever 34 .the latch pin will be retracted from holding en-.adjustable tensioning springs 37, thelower .ends

of which are anchored .in the floor 9. rIhese -springs 37 act tonormallyexert a downward pull on the `lever.34 and force the latch pin 32 intooneof the openings 33. When desiring to release theshield 14,:theoperator merely raises his knee against .the .bar 36 and retracts thelatch pin 32.

allowingthe shield to be raised by the springs 16 and retainedzin araised position by the spring 4latch -19.

.Secured to the lower edge of the shield 14 is a latch 38 for operatinga suitable electric switch Eiland this switch maybe connected foroperating suitable .signals .or any other desired protective apparatusupon release of the shield 14. Mounted in any preferred manner beneaththe counter top 6 is a shelf 40 and which shelf is arranged justrearwardly of the shield 14 preferably parallel .to the top 6. Endblocks 4l arranged at leach end of .the shelf 40 serve as spacers forspacing the shelf below the top 6. Mounted in spaced relation Iupon theupper side of the shelf 4Q as by straps or other suitable attachingmeans 42 is .a plurality of firearms 43, the barrels of which aredirected toward the shield 14. The upper portion of the front wall 5 isprovided with a number of openings 44 which `align one with each of thebarrels of the firearms 43 and these openings may be closed by suitableplugs 45 serving to conceal the openings ,and presenting a smoothappearance to the face side of the wall.

The rearms 43 are intended to be simultaneously operated by a personstanding at the rear of the counter and the operating or dischargingmeans for the rearms embodies a cross bar 46 slidably guided at its endsupon suitable pins 47 projecting rearwardly from the end blocks 4l. Thiscross bar 46 has attached to its central portion an operating rod 48which extends rearwai dly to a point adjacent the rear edge of the top 6and may have a suitable handle at its rear end to be readily grasped byan operator for exerting a rearward pull upon the rod. Connected tc eachend of thc cross bar 45, inwardly oi the end block 41 is an adjustablecoil spring 49, having their opposite ends attached to the block 41whereby the cross bar is normally urged toward the end blocks. Connectedto the front side of the cross bar-45is aA series of elongated hooks 5Ghaving downturnedf-endsil adapted to engage the triggers of the rearms43 and exert a pull upon the 'triggers upon rearward movement of thecross mbar. The hooks 50 may be adjustable in any preferred'manner andin the example shown, the

"hooks-areprovided-with threaded ends which are .threaded into the crossbar and this arrangement permits proper' positioning of the downtnrnedends 51 with respect to the triggers of the nrearms.

As will be observed in Figure 2, when the shield 14 is in its loweredposition,the upper portion of the shield confronts the firearms 43 andserves as a barriershould the rearms be accidentally discharged. InFigures 4 and .fa-however, it -will be seen that when the shield israised that the F shield is out of confronting relation to the nrearmsand will permit the bullets to pass thru the openings44 when the rearmsare discharged by a rearward pull upon the rod 48. The plugs 45 closingthe openings 44 are or" course of such nature as to be readily ejectedby the force of the bullets passing thru the openings.

Thus it will be seen that a device of this character has been providedwhich may be readily installed in various places with comparativelylittle alteration to the counter. It will also beapparent that a novelarrangement has been disclosed whereby the shield is automaticallyreleased by ones knee thru aslight vupward pressure upon the horizontaltrip rod. It will also be apparent that a novel arrangement has beenprovided whereby a plurality of firearms may be simultaneouslydischarged, and an arrangement whereby the shield serves as a barrierextending across the firearms so as to prevent damage thru accidentaldischarging of the firearms.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown anddescribed, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In protective equipment of the class described, a vertically guidedshield, trip means for retaining the shield in a concealed position, anda rearm confronted by the shield when the shield is in its concealedposition.

2. In protective equipment of the class described, a vertically guidedshield, means for moving the shield to a protective position, trip meansfor normally retaining the shield in a concealed position, a pluralityof firearms confronted by the shield when in its concealed position, andmeans for simultaneously ring the firearms.

3. In combination with a counter including a top and a front wall, saidfront wall having openings therethru, a plurality of lirearms mountedbeneath the top wall, means for simultaneously firing the firearms, anda shield vertically movable thru the top wall between the rearms and theopenings in the front wall, said shield when in a lowered positionforming a barrier between the firearms and said openings and when in araised position being disposed above the iirearms.

4. In protective equipment of the class described the combination with acounter including a top and a front wall, of a shield guided forvertical movement thru the top at the rear of the front Wall, a shelfmounted beneath the top rearwardly of the shield, a plurality of rearmsmounted upon the shelf and having thebarrels thereof aligning withopenings provided in the iront wall, said shield when in a loweredposition having its upper portion confronting the firearms, and meansfor simultaneously ring the firearms, said shield when in a raisedposition being out of confronting relation to the rearms.

5. In combination with a counter including a top and a front wall, saidfront wall having openings therethru, a shelf mounted below the top, aplurality of rearms xed upon the shelf and aligning with said openingsin the front Wall, a movable cross bar mounted on the shelf, a series ofhooks carried by the cross bar for independently engaging the triggersof the rearms, a pull rod for actuating the cross bar for simultaneouslydischarging the rearms, and a protective shield forming a barrierbetween the firearms and openings in the front wall when the shield isin its normal retracted position.

6. In protective equipment the combination with a counter including atop and a front wall,

` said front wall having openings therethru, a shelf mounted below thetop, a series of rearms mounted upon the shelf in aligning relation withthe openings in the front wall, a cross bar extending across the rearside of the shelf and movable toward and away from the shelf, springmeans normally urging the cross bar toward the shelf, a series of hooksthreaded into the cross bar one ,a for each of the firearms, said hookshaving their free ends engageable with the triggers of the rearms, and apull rod connected to the cross bar and extending rearwardly therefromfor simultaneously discharging the firearms upon a rearward pull uponthe rod.

7. In protective equipment the combination with a counter including atop and a front wall, a shield guided for vertical movement thru thetop, firearms normally confronted by the shield when in its loweredposition, means for iiring the rearms, and an electric switch closedupon upward movement of the shield.

8. In protective equipment, the combination with a counter including asubstantially horizontal top, and a guard shield movable from anonprotective position to a protective position above the counter top,of means to move said shield to said protective position, and means tonormally retain said shield in a non-protective position including alatch, a horizontally disposed vertically movable bar extendinglongitudinally of the counter, spaced a short distance below and nearthe rear of the counter top, and motion transmitting means between thebar and latch to release the latch upon upward movement of the bar.

9. In protective equipment, the combination with a counter including asubstantially horizontal top, and a guard shield movable from a non,-protective position to a protective position above the counter top, ofmeans to move said shield to said protective position and means tonormally retain said shield in a non-protective position including alatch, a horizontally disposed vertically movable bar extendinglongitudinally of the counter, spaced a short distance below and nearthe rear of the counter top, motion transmitting means between the barand latch to release the latch upon upward movement of the bar, springmeans yieldably retaining the bar in a position spaced below the countertop but permitting it I to be raised toward said top, and means foradjusting the action of the spring so that varied pressure upon theunder side of the bar will be required to move it upwardly.

CHARLES J. GREEN.

